The Gift
by Capt. Hasting
Summary: Enrico Maxwell receives a package. Unfortunately it's content is less then friendly
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Vatican Orphanage**

**Thursday, 8:30 A.M**.

Enrico Maxwell, head of Vatican Section XIII Iscariot, sat down at his desk in his office to handle a task many would call positively, absolutely, indubitably, mind numbingly boring: Paper Work. Yes, like any large organization the Vatican was too plagued by the annoying problem of red tape, and as a high ranking Vatican official; it fell into the hands of Enrico Maxwell to clear it all up. Of course, if he wanted to, Maxwell could always dump this task into the arms of a lower ranking official or priest. Yet, seeing how Section XIII spent most of its days in action, Maxwell got very little time to rest. So, he saw paperwork as a relaxing exercise for a peaceful morning. At least, that what he though.

"Please excuse me," said Father Renaldo as he stuck his head into Maxwell's office, "But a package was just delivered to us."

Maxwell looked up from the document he was reading and raised an eye brow, "A package?" He asked, "I'm not aware of any shipments from the Holy See."He got up from his desk an walked over to a filing cabinet. Opening it up Maxwell started to search the order forms double checking for any notifications.

"Oh this was not sent from Rome, it seems that this package was sent from a privet house hold." Father Renaldo informed him, "As per usual we sent it through the X-ray scanners and there doesn't seem to be anything dangerous inside." Renaldo continued as Maxwell glanced at him and closed the cabinet. "As far as we can tell, it seems to be some sort of plant." Father Renaldo concluded.

Maxwell leaned against the filing cabinet and weighed the risks in his head. "Send it in," he said going back to his desk and sitting down in his leather office chair, "I cant see any danger of opening it."

"Right away sir." Father Renaldo left the room and returned with a big box covered with golden wrapping paper and a big red ribbon.

Maxwell's eyes lit up when he saw it's grandeur, "Renaldo, you never told me it was a gift!" He said eying the box the same way a cat eyes his prey. Grabbing the gift Enrico Maxwell placed it gingerly on his desk, thanked Father Renaldo as he pushed him out of the door, and then, when he was alone, he rubbed his hands together with great anticipation. "_My my_," he thought as he looked the box over from every angle "_This is a very big gift. Dare I say, a huge gift. I wonder who it is from, a very close friend for sure. Yes a very very close friend who holds me to a high regard. Maybe even His Holiness Himself!_" Finally Maxwell's patience could stand it no longer. The possibility that it was a gift from the Pope (Having forgotten that Renaldo informed him that the package was not from Rome) fueled Enrico as he attacked the box.

Grabbing his golden letter opener from his desk Maxwell slashed away the paper, cut the ribbon, and threw the lid clear across the room. Alas, instead of being greeted by a beautiful gift, he was met with a sight of horror. The moment the lid was removed a plant, looking much like a sunflower, shot out of the box and hissed at him, while snapped with teeth flowers were never meant to have. Enrico shrieked in terror and jumped back, but tripped over his own foot which caused him to fall to the floor. Slam his head against the hard wood floor Maxwell lay there. "My God," He mumbled rubbing his sore skull as he looked at the monstrosity on the desk. "What in heavens name is this thing? How did it come into existence?" he slowly sat up, crossed himself, said a quick prayer, and stood up. The plant watched him with its glassy eyes, baring its teeth. _HISSSSS!_

Enrico Maxwell backed away slowly, "_No, no this is not a gift_." He thought "_This is a curse of some kind, a monster. Who would send me such a thing? Such a vile creature?_" as a response, the plant hissed. Enrico swallowed, just then his eyes came to rest on a small card on the floor. It had fallen out of the box when the plant revealed itself. In his terror Maxwell missed it entirely, now he had to get it, "Be brave Maxwell! Be brave!" he commanded himself. "You deal with monsters and creatures on a daily basis! You are the head of Section XIII, You are the master of Iscariot!" Chanting his mantra he crawled on his hands and knees to the card and retrieved it. Crawling back to a safe distance Enrico Maxwell flipped it over and read the golden writing stamped upon the card.

"_Maxwell, This flower was created by our scientist during one of their experiments. I have no use for it and find it revolting. It was only natural that I thought of you. Please accept this "gift" from the Hellsing Organization. Thank You. Sir. Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing."_

Maxwell's hand began to tremble as his left eyelid began to twitch, "That sow." he whispered "That disgusting, revolting, infuriating, insulting SOW! I WANT HER PUNISHED! I WANT HER DEAD!" Maxwell exploded in rage screaming at the top of his lungs. "ANDERSOOOOON!" he shouted.

In mere minuets the Judas priest burst into Maxwell's office. "Meh God!" he said when he saw the flower on the desk. "Wit terrible creature is dat" Anderson asked Maxwell, who was still sitting on the floor.

"I don't know! I don't care! Just kill it and remove it from my office!" Enrico Maxwell commanded, Anderson grinned and pulled out his bayonet, "Wit Pleasure." He purred.

Anderson slowly walked up to the desk, rubbing his bayonets together, _sheeek_... _sheeek, _the sound of metal on metal filled the room as Anderson prepared for the kill quoting the Bible as he did so. "And Te Lord Prepared ah woorm and when te moorning roose te next day it smote the goord that it withard...AMEN!" Anderson swung is bayonet at the plant the metal flashing in the light as it swiftly cut though the air. _CLANG!_ The sound of the bayonet hitting something hard reverberated through the room, "Wit!" The sight that met Anderson sent a chill down his spine. The plant held the bayonet in its mouth with its teeth, glaring at him. With a quick jerk it slipped the bayonet out of Anderson's grip and flung out of the open window.

Anderson stared at the plant in shock. The plant hiss in return. Suddenly Anderson let out a yell and pulled out five more bayonets from his robes and started slashing without regard, "Dey yoo un'oly creature! I send ye back to which ye came!" When Anderson stopped slashing away he saw that he had only managed to destroy the office and the furniture in it. The plant itself was unharmed and still sitting on the desk angry as ever.

Enrico Maxwell jumped up from the floor. "Anderson! Look at what you have done! YOU DESTROYED MY OFFICE!" He scream "GET OUT! GET OUT!"

Pushing Anderson out the door Enrico Maxwell left his office, locking the door from the out side. He let out a long sigh "This calls for drastic measures...drastic measures indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Enrico Maxwell locked the door, straightened his vest, slicked back his hair, and walked briskly down the hall way. As he turned the corner he ran right into Heinkel Wolfe, knocking her down. "Oh my, I'm so sorry." said Maxwell as he helped her up.

"No No, It vas my foult, I vasn't vatching vere I vas going and-"

"It's quite alright," Maxwell interrupted, "Look I need you and Yumiko to meet me in the library. I have very important business to talk to you about." Heinkel blinked as Maxwell stepped around her and continued down the hall.

"Iz somezing wrong?" She called after him, Maxwell didn't turn or answer but continued down the hall.

Ten minutes later Enrico Maxwell, Heinkel Wolfe, and Yumiko Takagi were stilling at a large circular table in the orphanage library. All eyes were turned to Maxwell as he prepared to speak.

"This morning I received a package from that Protestant sow Integra Hellsing," he informed them. Heinkel and Yumiko glanced at each other then back to their boss, "Inside there was a mutated killer plant which attacked me." The two nuns raised their eye brows in surprise. Maxwell wiped his brow before continuing, "It needs to be destroyed."

Yumiko raised her hand looking a bit distressed. "Yes Yumiko?" Enrico Maxwell sighed upset that he was interrupted.

"Well sir, I was just thinking that maybe we don't have to kill it," she said meekly.

Enrico raised an eye brow, "Don't have to kill it?" he mumbled "You don't want to kill this monster?"

Yumiko swallowed. "Well, we don't really know that its monster, it just a plant. I'm sure that all it needs is to be treated nicely.

Enrico Maxwell chuckled " Sweet Yumiko, you're always so gentle." he patted her gently on the shoulder,  
"But!" he shouted raising his right index finger. "The fact remains that I was attacked by it. I know what it is and it's a monster, and we kill monsters. Isn't that right Heinkel."

Maxwell's gaze turned to his second favorite assassin who sunk slightly into her chair. "Vell you see Brothzer Maxwell," she began "Even thzough I'm not against killing monsters, I don't see how a plant could pose any real danzher."

Maxwell threw his arms up exasperated "Amazing! No one wants to kill the plant." he sighed "Alright fine, I don't care, just get it out of my office." Giving his order Maxwell left the two nuns sitting alone in the library to decide how they were going to remove the plant from his office.

**-xxxx-**

Half an hour later Heinkel and Yumiko entered Maxwell's office, armed with a yard stick and a pitcher of water. Yumiko's eyes widened when she saw destruction in the room. Papers all over the floor, walls with deep gashes in them, broken chairs, books shelves cut clean in half, the books nothing but shewn pages. "Mein Gott." Heinkel whispered, "It looks like a var took place here." Yumiko nodded in agreement. Eventually their gaze fell on the plant still sitting on the table, its eyes were closed and it seemed to be asleep. Yumiko leaned close to Heinkel, "Can plants sleep?" she asked.

"I don't thzink so," Heinkel answered "but considering thzat it'z a mutated plant-" The plant stirred and opened one of its eyes. Slowly it opened the second eye and stared at the two women intently. "Vell here goes," Heinkel mumbled under her breath.

She then smiled "Hello, how are you?" the plant cocked its head to one side. "Uh, ve are here to give you some vater. Do you vant vater?" Heinkel nudged Yumiko closer to the plant, Yumiko chuckled nervously as she inched closer careful not to use any sudden movements. She extended her arm with the pitcher closer to the plant, "Its just water, OK don't be afraid." slowly she started to pour the water into the flower's pot. Suddenly the flower straightened its stem and began to create a sound similar to a cats purr.

Yumiko turned to Heinkel, who shrugged, "I guess he likes it." Heinkel said.

"He?" asked Yumiko.

"Ja, look at it's face. Thze eyez look like Anderson's glasses and thze pollen lookz like stubble." Yumiko looked at the plant and grinned, "You're right, it does look like Alexander." both women giggled.

Suddenly the door opened and Enrico Maxwell stuck his head into the room, "Well, is it safe?" He asked.

Heinkel turned to him and nodded "Ja, it'z safe," she smiled and waved her hand "Come in and see for your self.

Maxwell slowly entered the room, sweat popped up on his forehead.

As he approached, the plant suddenly hissed loudly, Maxwell jumped back and tried to leave. "Vait! Don't go trust me it'z safe." Heinkel said as she grabbed his arm. Maxwell stared at her hand, he opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind. Heinkel swallowed and released his arm. "Sorry." she mumbled "but thzis plant iznt danzherous az long az your careful." she added.

Maxwell sighed "I'm not sure." he said.

"Here vatch me." Heinkel said. She slowly reached for the plant who wouldn't let her arm out of it's gaze. Her hand came to rest on the petals and finally its bulb, Heinkel started to pet the flower as it started to make the purring sound again.

Maxwell raised his eye brows impressed.

"Wanna try?" Yumiko asked.

Enrico Maxwell swallowed "Well, I don't know, uh... alright." he relented. Slowly he put his hand on the plants bulb and started to scratch it. The plant purred, Enrico moved his hand under the plants face and started to use his finger to scratch the underside of the bulb. The plant grinned slyly, suddenly its teeth latched on to Maxwell's finger with a crunch.

Enrico Maxwell's eyes filled with tears as he but his lip to keep from screaming, "Mother f-f-f-f-f." he mumbled under his breath.

**-xxxx-**

Two hours later Enrico Maxwell entered a Post office in Rome. In his arms he held a large box wrapped in brown paper tied with a string. Quickly pushing his way to the front desk he dropped the box in front of the postal worker. "I have to send this package over seas as quickly as possible." he said.

The woman behind the counter gave him an uninterested look, finally she spoke, "You have to fill out one of those form Father."

Maxwell glanced at the pile of papers on a small desk, he then pulled out a wad of bills and slipped them in front of the postal worker. "I was hoping to skip that part." he said with a smile. The woman looked down at the bill then back at Maxwell. Pocketing the bills she grabbed the box and slapped on a sticker, "Where to?" she asked.

"London, England." Maxwell answered "As fast as you can..."

**End**

**A/N:** Well that's all folks. I hope it was as fun for you to read as it was for me to write. Please read and review.

**Disclaimer: **I don;t own any of the characters from Hellsing.

Thanks

Capt. Hasting


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